tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post8047225483665298146..comments2010-11-16T18:10:17.260-07:00Comments on What Do Mormons Believe?: What Do Mormons Believe? - God the FatherThaddeushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-18423074995802864942008-03-18T19:04:00.000-06:002008-03-18T19:04:00.000-06:00It is interesting to me to see the fruits of both ...It is interesting to me to see the fruits of both lives in this dialogue. I appreciate rtc opening up to show what motivates him and his general attitude toward life.<BR/><BR/>I also appreciate the calm, confident faith that is shown in the responses.<BR/><BR/>You decide which life you would prefer. <BR/><BR/>"An angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; whereforeJanciscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17806227508666684508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-7721612424410662392008-03-18T17:52:00.000-06:002008-03-18T17:52:00.000-06:00Thaddeus never said that he'd "won". (And, for the...Thaddeus never said that he'd "won". (And, for the record, I don't think these discussions are "winning" or "losing". The point is to discuss Mormon beliefs and clarify doctrines that non-Mormons are misinformed about.)<BR/><BR/>What he said is that he's not going to reiterate his point, as he's already made it.Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16544700219396561407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-5375408530410526122008-03-18T15:56:00.000-06:002008-03-18T15:56:00.000-06:00LOL LOL LOLI see. You declare victory even though...LOL LOL LOL<BR/><BR/>I see. You declare victory even though you've lost the war. Genius! <BR/><BR/>Reminds me of Ender Wiggin's last battle in Battle School - he was losing but went through the ritual of victory anyway, winning a lost battle.<BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender_WigginRTChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08665565137977071153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-28883722534999727992008-03-18T15:49:00.000-06:002008-03-18T15:49:00.000-06:00I have made my point.I have made my point.Thaddeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-86262263410106466522008-03-18T15:33:00.000-06:002008-03-18T15:33:00.000-06:00Note to Thaddeus: The most logical and rigorous po...Note to Thaddeus: The most logical and rigorous position is reality. You can no more claim your god is reality than I can claim my invisible pink unicorn is reality (except in the phenomenological sense, which is not a universally shared reality).<BR/><BR/>Second part: <BR/>No, I'm saying a god that is omnipotent cannot be bound. That is a definitional issue. Let me give examples:<BR/>RTChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08665565137977071153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-73957957642336438002008-03-18T14:27:00.000-06:002008-03-18T14:27:00.000-06:00Ha ha. I am not interested in a more defensible a...Ha ha. I am not interested in a more defensible argument. I am interested in reality. LOL!<BR/><BR/>So you're saying that a god who has all power <I>has</I> to do everything? Even make stupid decisions? Or else his power is not limitless?<BR/><BR/>You're joking, right?Thaddeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-71384823622034103872008-03-17T21:26:00.000-06:002008-03-17T21:26:00.000-06:00So god is not omnipotent. Again, this really is a...So god is not omnipotent. Again, this really is an either/or prospect: god has to have all power (by definition) or his power must be limited. My suggestion: go with the aloof, deistic god, not the personal, loving god. It's far more defensible logically (e.g., god is all powerful, but also hands off - he/she/it created everything, then just let it develop naturally; that's much harder to RTChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08665565137977071153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-77118809704216530502008-03-17T18:51:00.000-06:002008-03-17T18:51:00.000-06:00God has all power, but He is bound by his honor. ...God has all power, but He is bound by his honor. For example, He won't <A HREF="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/enos/1/6#6" REL="nofollow">lie.</A> This is not to say He lacks the capacity to lie. It is just not in His character to do so.<BR/><BR/>He will not defeat the <A HREF="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/42/13#13" REL="nofollow">law of justice.</A> He has the ability, but doing so would Thaddeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-34641080834090005742008-03-17T15:44:00.000-06:002008-03-17T15:44:00.000-06:00Repeat: If god is omnipotent, as you just explaine...Repeat: If god is omnipotent, as you just explained, then why the whole "plan"? If you go the either/or route, god is either omnipotent (thus, no need for a plan) or semi-potent but bound by laws (thus a need for a plan). IMO, you can't have it both ways.RTChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08665565137977071153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-72186430343666553402008-02-14T13:46:00.000-07:002008-02-14T13:46:00.000-07:00Thadeus...I really like your post...psThadeus...I really like your post...psElissamaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05577331431744304086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-1200802412869923922008-02-14T10:43:00.000-07:002008-02-14T10:43:00.000-07:00Thank you, Megan. That is an important distinctio...Thank you, Megan. That is an important distinction. Worship is a means, not an end.<BR/><BR/>We do worship the Father, in that we love Him and respect Him, and we try to emulate His perfect character. And we do all of this so we can become like Him.<BR/><BR/>Why do kids worship basketball players and idolize rock stars? It isn't to perfect the art of worship, but because they hope to become Thaddeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-48644542364094548292008-02-14T10:24:00.000-07:002008-02-14T10:24:00.000-07:00You almost make it sound like worshiping God is no...You almost make it sound like worshiping God is not a good thing (in this particular article, that is). I believe that what you intend to say, is that we worship God because we owe Him everything (and more) and it is truly awe-striking that we can become like Him. It's certainly not that worship is bad, but it's not our sole purpose or reason for existence. We worship as a part of our own Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16544700219396561407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-82886508625969646212008-02-11T13:44:00.000-07:002008-02-11T13:44:00.000-07:00I think they are wonderful. I don't have anything...I think they are wonderful. I don't have anything to add, thats why I'm silent. But i read them all.Janciscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17806227508666684508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-74997066696726126042008-02-11T06:49:00.000-07:002008-02-11T06:49:00.000-07:00I like you approach so far.I like you approach so far.Eric Nielsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00530011180028252442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686225680071684869.post-69763805151599422702008-02-10T22:38:00.000-07:002008-02-10T22:38:00.000-07:00I love writing these articles, but it's hard to ga...I <I>love</I> writing these articles, but it's hard to gauge how well I'm covering the topics, and besides, I was hoping to open more of a two-way dialog.<BR/><BR/>I know there are a lot of people in the background reading my treatises. What feedback do you have for me? Any spiritual insights? <BR/><BR/>What questions do you have?Thaddeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114394042368018831noreply@blogger.com